Notice Me
by Little Black Bat
Summary: Akai was Rock Lee's best friend, but when Sasuke betrays the leaf, she shuts all her friends out. Two years later Rock Lee decides he wants her back, but what does Akai want?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story and the main character are mine. If you like the story and want more, please review!

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><p>Lee watched as Akai's feminine figure disappeared into the tall green trees of Konoha. He sighed as she faded into the night, headed out on another one of her B-ranked missions. He always wondered if she would be safe out there alone, or if she would even come back home. But time after time, Akai proven all his apprehensions foolish, coming home victorious and in perfect condition.<p>

Akai's status had risen to the top of the top ranks ever since Sasuke's departure from Konoha. At first she seemed the same to be the same person from before; loving, strong, brave, goofy. But Sasuke was someone that she both admired and cared for, someone who she considered to be a close friend. When he left, her personality receded, and suddenly all she had time for was training or missions.

Rock Lee knew her feeling ran deep for Sasuke. He'd always been her favorite person, making his happiness her top priority. Akai treated him just like family, and as dysfunctional as they may have been, they were just that. With all the hands that reached out to the troubled Uchiha, Akai's was one of the few he took.

She didn't acknowledge anyone anymore. Especially not Lee. It hurt him every time he caught a glimpse of her face. Akai was one of his most treasured friends, always there for him, and he for her. She had always been the strong, but very soft shoulder to lean on whenever he failed. Lee loved her because she was always herself, no matter the situation or consequence. And now, it was just a one sided romance.

Days later Akai returned, once again mission completed quickly and successfully. She stood in front of Lady Tsunade reporting her mission to her, when she was interrupted.

"You're off duty for a month," the Hokage's tone was blank and serious, like her face.

"_What._" Akai's reply wasn't a question.

"Your peers have noted that you have barely been in the village over the past few months. I have noticed it as well, you have been serving this village quite dutifully, but it's unhealthy to get two hours of sleep each day and perform missions all at once." Tsunade's explanation touched deaf ears.

"I am fine," She said bluntly, dark eyes narrowed in indifference.

"Regardless of your feelings, I won't have you collapsing on missions and putting yourself in danger. Akai, the only times people get to see you are when you're leaving from the village in the dead of night. Go home, _rest_." Her tone was firm and uncompromising.

Akai dug her nails into her skin and exhaled loudly to calm herself down.

"A month?"

"One month."

Calm was impossible. She glared at the Hokage. "A _month_?"

"Get out of my office, Akai. Go relax, hang out with that kid from Gai's team like you used to."

"You do understand that all bonds I have made with _those people_ have disintegrated?"

"That was your choice. Make some new ones."

"I don't want friends. I don't care about bonds, or hanging, out or relaxing. What I care about is serving and protecting my village."

"Look, I'm not a psychologist, Akai. But I do know that overworking yourself the way you have been is unhealthy for you-"

"I said I'm _fine_. I have never, not once failed or faltered on a mission. I get my job done without a question. I don't understand why after two years, me doing my _job_ has become such an issue."

Tsunade's hazel eyes hardened. "You have my orders, Akai."

Akai scoffed, turning quickly on her heel and slamming the door open. She heard Tsunade whisper, "You can't run from yourself."

She slammed the door hard and stomped out of the office. Sakura stared shocked out of the corner of her eye.

A few seconds later, she stood outside the building in the center of Konoha it was around noon and the streets were busy. A frown tugged her lips down as she grumpily stomped through the crowd.

After a while of walking she ended up sitting in a tree at edge of a training ground. Akai sat on the branch, pressing her scalp against the bark as she tried to calm down. She didn't know what to do for an entire month in Konoha. She didn't have friends.

Akai's detachment had ruined her friendship with Rock Lee, and thinking about that hurt her even more. She saw the hurt in his eyes grow everyday that she brushed him off until his teammates told him that she was a lost cause.

That wasn't what she wanted, but life was like an unyielding desert without him. She didn't want anyone else to have the option of walking out on her. She had the option of protecting herself, and that's what she intended to do.


	2. Chapter 2

The OC and the story are mine. If you enjoy this story and want more, please review! Constructive criticism is appreciated.

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><p>It had been three days and Akai was back the same training grounds. She had a bland look on her face and lips were pulled down into a deep frown.<p>

Just what exactly did Tsunade want her to do? Start hanging out with kids her age? Rebuild old friendships? Unlikely. And she doubted anyone desired her friendship after she dropped them like cold turkeys.

Even if she went through all the trouble of renewing her friendships, as soon as those missions came back, she'd do it all again. Nothing was more distracting than focusing and obtaining success.

Emotional ties were just another way to get injured _off_ the battlefield.

Akai had made a home of the thick tree branch on the edge of the training grounds. Day or night, she'd always find a reason to take a walk back to the tree in the past week.

One day heard leaves shuffling and multiple voices. Three males and one female, she deducted quickly. Suddenly, a kunai was launched at her. Akai swung backwards off the branch nimbly and landed in front of her attackers.

"Oh! Akai-senpai! Gomen, gomen." Tenten blushed. Behind her were Gai, Neji, and Rock Lee.

"It's fine."

"Tomogaki-san!" Gai greeted brightly. "Ah, your timing is impeccable! Would you be Lee's sparring partner for a few hours?"

She nodded without hesitation surprising herself and the young teammates.

"Excellent! To the training grounds!" Gai shouted pointing forward.

Lee panted, sliding down the rough bark of the tree to the ground. Today, Akai had handed Lee his ass faster and harder than Neji could ever hope to. Although he had taijutsu skills to be reckoned with, it still wasn't up to par with hers.

"Wow, Akai-senpai," Tenten gushed "No wonder you got promoted so quickly; you jutsu is amazing."

Rock Lee tiredly nodded in agreement. 'It's an honor to be beaten by you, Akai."

Akai bowed her head in appreciation, sipping on her water. "It's been a while since I've seen such accuracy and skill with a simple kunai."

"Arigato, senpai."

As she conversed with Tenten, she didn't miss the ocular exchange between Neji and Gai.

"Is it true that Hokage-sama has put you off missions for a month?" Neji asked.

"News travels fast as the wind these days, ne? I didn't know Sakura-san was such a gossip…"

Knowing her accusations were correct, Neji fought the embarrassment he felt.

"We all noticed the amount of time you've been spending in the village," Rock Lee spoke up.

"The rumors are true," she said blankly. After another sip of water, she spoke. "Forgive my leave, but I do have other things to take care of." She nodded at the team before disappearing in a flash of light.

"Sugoi! Such an amazing technique! Akai-san has outdone me ten times over." Rock Lee said to Tenten.

Gai stood from the ground. "Enough break, ten laps around Konoha, fifteen for you, Lee. Let's see some of that youthful spirit! Maybe next time you can give Akai-san more of a challenge!"

"Yosh! Yes, Gai-sensei!" Rock Lee wasted no time running into the forest.

"That's another way to get the guy motivated." Tenten muttered as she and Neji began running.


	3. Chapter 3

A little action for you in the otherwise dramatic series. If you enjoy it, let me know with a review please!

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><p>Akai's back slammed into a tree hard and she grunted.<p>

The Hyuuga was good.

She dodged another jab at one of her tenketsu points and countered with a hard kick to the ribs. Neji slid back a few feet before charging again. His hands came at her quick, leaving no room for offensive attacks.

Akai flicked his wrist away with her hands before spinning and kicking him in the chest. He slid back once more and she charged, slamming her palm into the side of his neck. His body slumped to the ground.

Rock Lee and Tenten looked at the battle in surprise.

"Sugoi, Akai-san! What kind of technique was that?" Tenten asked as she rushed to help her teammate stand.

"Ninpou. A small jutsu I learned from an old friend."

Rock Lee turned to her. "What kind of technique can counter Neji's Byakugan?"

"It's a simple technique that forces the user's chakra into their opponent's body. It overloads their system and cause temporary or permanent damage depending on the strength."

"That's quite the trump card," Neji said as he staggered a little.

Tenten and Lee giggled a little.

"Good Job today, team!" Gai beamed a few meters away. "Once again Akai has managed to defeat you without much of a problem, but you're putting up a bigger fight. Ten celebratory laps around the village for our renewed effort!"

Tenten groaned, watching Lee rejoice. "Can it, Lee. If you weren't so eager you'd be able to land a hit on Akai-san."

Lee turned to Tenten frowning. "Have faith in me Tenten. I will do my best and defeat Akai-san one day."

"Maybe in the next life," Neji muttered starting his laps.

Akai watched as the team jogged of into the sunset. She turned to grab her things and leave.

"You know, Akai, you could stay and have dinner with us."

"I'll have to decline. I have other things to take care of," she said, brushing a stray black lock of hair out of her eyes.

Gai frowned, tears beading in his eyes. "Akai-san rejects Team Gai once more. What is the next tragedy we are to face?"

Akai rolled her eyes in rare amusement. "I'll see you later, Gai."

"Actually, we have a mission beginning tomorrow; we won't be back for a few days."

She nodded. "Sayonara then." Her form dispersed into light.

Akai huffed as her body sank deep into her bed. It was good that she was getting some training with others. She came up with a new combo that she was eager to use on her next opponent. It would be better if it were an enemy, that way she could unleash the full intensity of it and calculate the damage.

She flipped onto her stomach. She was enjoying her days spent with team Gai. She was enjoying Lee's over top personality. It made her angry.

She didn't want to be happy; she didn't want to feel anything. She wanted to think of nothing but the next mission, her mind should have been full of tactics, not useless gossip that was said during breaks. Especially not thoughts of Konoha's resident green beast.

Her next few weeks of her not so solitary confinement would need to move quickly so she could avoid useless emotions.


	4. Chapter 4

Akai's back rest up against her tree as she perched herself on her favorite branch. Half a month had passed and so far she'd only helped Gai spar with his team. Besides that she would just watch genin train from her perch. She'd made little to no progress on renewing friendships like Tsunade suggested (though demanded was a more fitting word).

If sparring with Team Gai applied, then that had to count for something, ne?

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree. Akai could feel frustration boiling inside her. She felt useless being here. Sitting still just brought back so many memories. If there was one thing she'd never wish to be reminded of, it'd be the times when she was so happy. When being a ninja wasn't the only thing she was concerned about, a time where she loved freely and was liable to get hurt.

She opened her eyes.

'_Sasuke-nii_.'

"Akai?"

Her eyes flickered to the forest ground.

"Haruno-san," she greeted.

Sakura smiled. "Why are you up there all alone?"

Akai brushed a lock of hair behind her eye and jumped down from the tree. "Just thinking." What, did Tsunade send a little watchdog after her?

A wave of silence passed over them and just before it got awkward, Sakura spoke.

"I'm going to lunch. You should come with me. I'm meeting up with Team Asuma and Naruto, and everyone would love to see you."

The smile on Sakura's face made Akai feel something in her gut. It was something between hunger and longing.

"I can't. I have some-"

"Moping to do?" A smirk.

Akai frowned. "I don't mope-"

"Good for you. That means you have nothing else to do for the time being and you're looking a little on the thin side anyway," her hand clasped around Akai's wrist. "So you might as well enjoy a good lunch for old time's sake."

Akai's resistance went unnoticed as Sakura tugged her along and before Akai knew it, she was sitting across from Naruto at a table. At the end was Shikamaru, to his left and right were Ino and Chouji, and in between Ino and herself was Sakura.

Barbeque was already out on the table and everyone's plates were made. A light conversation was held by the group save for Akai, who went unnoticed for the time being.

Then Naruto looked up from his plate and squinted at the girl in front of him. He frowned before pointing is chopsticks in her direction.

"Who's this?" He asked blandly.

Everyone turned to look at him.

Sakura rolled her. "Naruto-baka this is-"

"Tomogaki Akai! No way!" Ino interrupted. "No one's seen you in _years_."

"Yeah," Chouji agreed. "It's like you disappeared after…" he trailed off into silence.

"Whaaat?" Naruto whined in confusion. "How come you guys know her? Did she get here after I left?"

"I heard you were an ANBU now, Akai-san." Shikamaru broke in.

Akai nodded. "It's just been decided."

"I heard you got taken off of missions for a month." Ino followed up. "Is that true?"

"Hai. Tsunade-sama insisted that I do some work on my…" she paused. "My relations with my peers."

Naruto watched his friends closely, looking from them to Akai. "Matte! Matte! Who is she?"

Akai turned to Naruto. "I trained with you a lot when we were younger. But I'm not surprised you don't remember."

He stared at her closely. His eyes scanned over her facial features repeatedly and then he looked at her neck. He had a friend who'd warn a chain like that a while ago, but he hadn't seen her in a long time.

...

"AKAI-NEECHAN?" His face was a mixture of surprise, shock and confusion.

'_There goes the light bulb,_' she thought inwardly.

"Where have you been all this time?" He asked.

"Training. Working. Nothing too spectacular."

"I wouldn't call being in the ANBU 'nothing too spectacular.'" Shikamaru smirked.

"You'd call it a drag or troublesome," Akai smirked. "You'll be one of us soon, much to your lazy dismay."

Everyone chuckled. Akai felt a spark in her stomach. She remembered the day when this was her life; all the fun and the laughter. It felt warm.

She forced herself to shake the feeling off. Akai wasn't her to be friendly and make nice. She was her because… she was here because Sakura drug her here against her own will. And that was the only logical reason that she was still sitting here or maybe because… because…

Because she wanted to be here.

'I can't do this. I can't be here. I need to go before-"

Akai stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry. I have to go." She immediately rushed out of the restaurant.

"Akai!" Sakura shouted after her. She dashed out the restaurant and looked around, but she was already gone.

Akai went into hiding for the next week. She bid her branch goodbye and settled for walking deep into Konoha's woods. She'd discovered so much about the village that she never noticed before. Natural rock formations, small streams, springs, hidden waterfalls, and a beautiful lake on the far east of the village.

Maybe one day she'd become a traveler and go site seeing with herself. Since she was alone. And she doubted that she'd meet anyone because more anti-social than anyone she'd met before. Except for Sasuke, but he had his reasons.

She shook her head hard, giving herself a small headache. Thinking things like that was useless and bothersome. She turned away from the lake and walked back towards the village and her house.

'_Love makes people faulty, love hurts your heart, and love is the root of all hatred.'_


	5. Chapter 5

This story and Akai belong to me... you know the drill. I hope you guys enjoy the final part of the story. I did want to alter the ending a bit, but I decided to go with the original. It's mostly because I'm to lazy to think of a better ending. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this, and continue to read my other stuff. Please review :D

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><p>The pond Akai discovered became her new haven. It was deep in the outskirts of Konoha, so the chances of anyone finding her were slim. It was surrounded by thick, tall trees and lush greenery, and it gave her a sense of peace. Lately so many feeling had been brewing in her, and all she wanted to do was forget.<p>

Today, she dressed comfortably in grey cutoff sweats and a white camisole. She wanted to watch the sunset today and she still had a few more hours to go. She had time to sun bathe and eventually she found herself standing calve deep staring up into the sky.

It was suddenly understandable why Shikamaru spent his time cloud gazing where no one could find him. When one got the chance to actually see and appreciate, Konoha was a beautiful place. She felt so far away from the violent shinobi world, and so far away from the state of unrest she'd been in for so long.

After a while, she sat at the edge of the lake on a towel, reading a book. Even with the book in her hand she couldn't remember the title, but it was something about a gutsy ninja. After an hour or two, Akai was pulled out of her book driven daze when she heard a rustle behind her. She sat the book in her lap and looked up. The sun was slowly fading and a beautiful orange hue was being cast out over the lake. After a moment of silence she finally spoke.

"Come on out already."

A timid Rock Lee came from the bushes slowly making eye contact.

"Somehow," she began softly. "I knew it was you."

He blushed lightly. "Gomen. Akai-san"

"Don't apologize. I don't own this area. And call me Akai. There's no longer a need to be so formal."

He nodded. "Do you mind if I sit?"

She shrugged her shoulders and dipped her feet in the water.

"Next to you?"

"Fine."

He sat to her left, just off the towel she was on. He felt nervous. Akai was so indifferent, and it made it hard for him to work up the courage to say the little monologue he'd been rehearsing for far too long.

She had been something he could rely on in the past, someone dear to him, and someone he loved. He wanted her back along with every memory and feeling that she gave him. He missed her, and he hated the way she pretended not to see him. She looked through him like glass and today he wanted to shatter the image she had of him.

He stood up at her side with a determined glint in his eyes. "Akai-chan, I just wanted to say that I've missed you very much!" Her lack of reaction only added fuel to the fire. "I want us to resume the friendship we once had, and I want us to become youthful rivals as well!"

Her dark eyes were trained on the water; she focused on the sound of the wind rather than his voice.

He dropped to his knees beside her in exasperation. Perhaps people like her required blunt confrontation? "Akai, please listen to me. We all understand that it hurt you when Sas-"

"Sssh," she cut him off. "Don't disrupt the peace."

He could feel his chipper persona melting away as his passion boiled inside him. Akai was not going to brush him off so easily this time. He wouldn't let her keep running away, not from him or herself.

No, today she was going to notice him.

"Don't shut yourself out, Akai. I understand what Sasuke's betrayal-"

Akai was on her feet in seconds, walking away. She didn't want to hear this; Rock Lee was not going to do this to her.

He looked angry and hurt, and Akai felt a dip in her stomach. "Stop running away!"

She stopped; face emotionless, but he was shocked by the anger pulsing around him. When she spoke her voice was soft and toneless.

"Running from what? I'm not running, Lee, I'm fighting."

"You don't have to-"

"You don't know the pain, Lee!" Her voice wavered a bit. "You don't know _anything. _So don't stand here trying to analyze me."

"How much longer is this pity party going to last? You aren't the only one that's been hurt! If you just let me-"

"I'm still paying the price for the last time I let someone in. I feel like a fool!" She felt tears bite at her eyes.

"Stop victimizing yourself, Akai. You're better than that."

She reached out to slap him, but he caught her wrist. She snatched it away from him angrily, but he grasped it and pulled her into him.

"Of course I know what it's like to lose someone I love." The two of them stood there for a while. Her shoulders heaved with the intensity of her feelings, all her feelings. The burden on her chest forced her to close her eyes to fight the tears.

Having her so close was something Lee dreamed of. A surge of courage built up in him and he leaned forward to kiss her. His lips were just a centimeter away from hers when she burst into tears. Suddenly her arms wrapped around him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Lee. I'm sorry I hurt you and everyone else. But I couldn't help it." Her body sagged against his under the pressure of her feelings. "I'm so much better off alone than I am pouring myself into someone else."

His hand smoothed her hair and he wrapped his arm around her. She cried until sunset, until his arms were the only thing supporting her.

"We were so close, but there was something about him. He knew who I was underneath the smile." Lee felt his heart clench at the words. "He knew what it felt like to lose everything that you had to fight for, and I thought-" she took a breath to control her sobs. "He knew me. I thought of him like my own family, b-but he left me. I trusted him with everything I had and he left all of us! He left me for a snake, a person who doesn't care about him, who could never give him what he really needs."

Lee's arms tightened around her and she sobbed loudly and painfully. All the pain she felt from when she lost her family and from when she lost her best friend rose until she was vulnerable, and she trusted him to protect her.

"I took care of him. I understood him. I confided in him. We had such a strong… _bond_. And he broke it. He snapped it like it was a tedious thread. And the only thing I could think was that I didn't mean a thing to him. He didn't… care about… me."

Lee pulled her into his lap on the ground, and held her silently as she let go. After all this time, she just wanted someone to listen, and she was glad it was Lee. No one could have made her feel safe; no one could sit through her life story and not judge her or tell her she was being childish. No one could do it but Lee.

Her face was red and her eyes were swollen. She looked exhausted and her face was blank. He tilted her chin up to meet her eyes. "I would rather have had him stab me in the heart so I still wouldn't be feeling pain."

He pulled her back into his chest, and she sunk into him.

"Kai-chan," Lee began softly. "I think you loved him a lot more than as a brother."

It took a moment for her to let it sink in. "Perhaps you're right. That explains at least half the heartbreak." She said with the smallest smile. She shifted in his arms pressing her face into his neck. "I can't go through that again, Lee. Not again."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Akai. Nobody is going to hurt you All of us were affected by Sasuke's betrayal in one way or another. But we have to be here for each other and be strong for each other so we won't end up like he did. I'd never hurt you. I'd never hurt you because... I love you."

It took him a few moments that her stillness was caused by her sleeping. He slowly leaned back, placing her towel under their heads and wrapping his arms around her tightly. She may not have heard him. She may not even want to see him after tonight, but at least he'd finally gotten in off her chest. At least she noticed him this one time. His eyes surveyed the starlit sky before he fell asleep too.

The next afternoon Akai and Rock Lee walked to the training grounds together. There was an air of silence around them, peaceful and calming.

Akai narrowed as her eyes as she sensed more than three presences at the training area. "I think there's another team going to be training with you guys today. Team… Kakashi, maybe."

Rock Lee's head snapped up. "Yosh! Gai-sensei and Kaskashi-sensei have another score to settle! We should hurry up," he said jolting forward.

She grabbed his arm. "Its fine, they don't seem to have a problem waiting for you. You're not late, you're just not early. It's my fault anyway. We had to go home and get cleaned up."

Lee smiled. "You don't have to fault yourself for my sake, Akai-chan. You're such a sweet and gentle lady." He bowed in front of her and kissed her hand.

Akai smiled. "Come on, you dope. I didn't say they'd wait forever."

Everyone was surprised to see Lee and Akai walk into the training grounds together. Tenten and Neji immediately noted the close proximity of the two and exchanged glances. Gai didn't fail to give his prized student a boastful greeting.

Neji smirked. "I'll admit, I never expected it to happen."

Tenten smiled. "Let's not jump to conclusions."

The Hyuuga snorted. "If he could he'd be holding her hand right now. No doubt, she's making him keep it a secret."

Tenten laughed and turned her attention back towards Lee. "Glad you could make it, Akai. Our sensei's were just about to make some foolishly strenuous bet."

Team seven snickered.

Minutes later, Kakashi and Gai were racing around Konoha blindfolded, on their hands, leaving their students in their wake.

Naruto turned towards Lee and Akai. "Are you two together now? You know, like dating?"

Lee blushed bright red and turned to Akai. "N-n-n-no," he stammered causing his teammates to laugh at him.

"Not yet," Akai said with a smirk.

Naruto's mouth dropped open. "Bushy Brows has a girlfriend before me!" He turned towards Sakura who immediately punched him in the head.

"Don't even think about it."

Sai spoke for the first time. "Maybe we should go. It doesn't look like we'll be training today anyway."

Everyone nodded and began walking away leaving Akai and Lee standing there.

"Now that you've finally noticed me, I can share my feelings with you," Lee stated. "Akai, I-"

She pressed a finger against his lips and kissed his cheek. "Not yet, Lee-kun."

"Of course." He smiled and kissed her forehead. The two of them left the training grounds, his hand slipping down her arm until his palm encased hers. Now that he had her, he'd die before he let her go.


End file.
